Altered Skies
by Akari Miniwara .Starflight
Summary: What if, during that fateful night, Crowfeather hadn't saved Leafpool in time? The Three were never born, shattering and altering the skies StarClan walks forever. In the wake, a new sickness arrives, throwing off the stability the clans have fought to achieve. With the cure located so far from the lake, saviors must arise to bring back the balance before it's too late.
1. Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

 **Leader-** Firestar-ginger tom with a flame colored pelt

 **Deputy-** Brambleclaw-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice-Berrypaw

 **Medicine Cat-** Cinderpelt-dark gray she-cat with blue eyes and a crippled leg

 **Warriors-** Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat with barely visible tabby stripes

Apprentice-Honeypaw

Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice-Hazelpaw

Brackenfur-long legged golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw-large golden brown tabby tom

Apprentice-Poppypaw

Brightheart-white she-cat with ginger patches and a scarred face

Cloudtail-long furred white tom with blue eyes

Apprentice-Ashpaw

Rainwhisker-dark gray tom with blue eyes

Sorreltail-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Spiderleg-long legged black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes

Apprentice-Mousepaw

Whitewing-snowy white she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall-light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Apprentices-** Berrypaw-cream colored tom with a stump for a tail

Mousepaw-large gray and white tom with green eyes

Hazelpaw-small gray and white she-cat

Honeypaw-dappled light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Poppypaw-pale tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Ashpaw-fluffy pale gray she-cat with darker flecks

 **Queens-** Ferncloud-pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes, mother of Dustpelt's kits, Icekit (white she-cat) and Foxkit (ginger tom)

Squirrelflight-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw, mother of Brambleclaw's kits, Oakkit (mottled brown tom with green eyes) and Leafkit (pale ginger tabby she-cat)

Daisy-long furred, cream colored she-cat

 **Elders-** Longtail-pale tabby tom with black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

Mousefur-small dusky brown she-cat

 **ShadowClan**

 **Leader-** Blackstar-large white tom with huge jet-black paws

 **Deputy-** Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat

 **Medicine Cat-** Littlecloud-very small brown tabby tom with blue eyes

 **Warriors-** Oakfur-small dark brown tom

Rowanclaw-lithe dark ginger tom with green eyes

Apprentice-Ivypaw

Smokefoot-black tom with sharp claws

Apprentice-Owlpaw

Crowfrost-black and white tom

Toadfoot-dark brown tom

Applefur-mottled brown she-cat with blue eyes

Kinkfur-light tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out at all angles

Ratscar-brown tom with a long scar across his back

Snaketail-dark brown tom with a tabby striped tail

Whitewater-white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

 **Apprentices-** Ivypaw-long furred black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlpaw-light brown tabby tom

 **Queens-** Snowbird-pure white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Smokefoot's kits, Olivekit (tortoiseshell she-cat), Shrewkit (gray she-cat with black paws), Scorchkit (dark gray tom), and Redkit (mottled brown and ginger tom)

Tawnypelt-pale tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, mother of Rowanclaw's kits, Tigerkit (dark brown tabby tom), Flamekit (dark ginger tom), and Dawnkit (cream furred she-cat)

 **Elders-** Cedarheart-dark gray tom

Tallpoppy-long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

 **WindClan**

 **Leader-** Onestar-small, light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Deputy-** Ashfoot-broad-faced gray she-cat

 **Medicine Cat-** Barkface-dark brown tom with a short tail

Apprentice-Kestrelpaw

 **Warriors-** Tornear-wiry light gray tabby tom with a torn ear

Apprentice-Harepaw

Crowfeather-dark gray tom with blue eyes

Apprentice-Heatherpaw

Owlwhisker-scrawny light brown tabby tom with yellow teeth

Whitetail-small white she-cat

Apprentice-Breezepaw

Nightcloud-well muscled black she-cat with amber eyes

Weaselfur-lithe ginger tom with white paws

Leaftail-dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Dewspots-spotted gray tabby she-cat

Willowclaw-long furred gray she-cat

Antpelt-lithe brown tom with one black ear and amber eyes

Emberfoot-gray tom with two darker paws

Apprentice-Sunpaw

 **Apprentices-** Kestrelpaw-mottled brownish gray tom with white spots that look like feathers

Harepaw-brown and white tom

Heatherpaw-light brown tabby she-cat with heather-blue eyes

Breezepaw-lean black tom with amber eyes

Sunpaw-tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

 **Queens-** Gorsetail-very pale gray and white she-cat, mother of Owlwhisker's kits, Thistlekit (long furred white she-cat), Sedgekit (light brown tabby she-cat), and Swallowkit (dark gray she-cat)

 **Elders-** Morningflower-very old tortoiseshell queen

Webfoot-dark gray tabby tom

 **RiverClan**

 **Leader-** Leopardstar-unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

 **Deputy-** Mistyfoot-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice-Dapplepaw

 **Medicine Cat-** Mothwing-golden she-cat with rippling tabby stripes

Apprentice-Willowpaw

 **Warriors-** Blackclaw-long legged smoky black tom

Voletooth-small brown tabby tom

Apprentice-Minnowpaw

Reedwhisker-slender black tom with dark gray eyes

Apprentice-Pouncepaw

Mosspelt-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice-Pebblepaw

Beechfur-light brown tom

Rippletail-dark gray tabby tom

Dawnflower-sleek, very pale gray she-cat

Mintfur-light gray tabby tom with green eyes

Otterheart-dark brown she-cat with a splash of white on her chest

Pinefur-very short haired light brown tabby she-cat

Rainstorm-mottled gray-blue tom

Duskfur-brown tabby she-cat

 **Apprentices-** Willowpaw-dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Minnowpaw-sleek dark gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

Pebblepaw-mottled pale gray tom

Pouncepaw-ginger and white tabby tom with a short tail

Dapplepaw-mottled gray she-cat

 **Queens-** Graymist-pale gray tabby she-cat, mother of Voletooth's kits, Sneezekit (gray and white tom) and Mallowkit (light brown tabby tom)

Icewing-lightly built, pure white she-cat, expecting Mintfur's kits

 **Elders-** Heavystep-thickset tabby tom

Swallowtail-dark gray tabby she-cat

Stonestream-gray tom with blue eyes

 **SkyClan**

 **Leader-** Leafstar-brown and cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Deputy-** Sharpclaw-dark ginger tom with green eyes

Apprentice-Honeypaw

 **Medicine Cat-** Echosong-silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Warriors-** Patchfoot-black and white tom with green eyes

Petalnose-very pale gray, almost white she-cat with blue eyes

Sparrowpelt-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice-Sandypaw

Waspwhisker-gray and white tom with a scar from his belly to his tail

Shrewtooth-skinny black tom

Apprentice-Stormpaw

Billystorm-ginger and white tom with leaf-green eyes

Fallowfern-pale brown she-cat with blue eyes

Rockshade-black tom with a torn ear

Apprentice-Birdpaw

Bouncefire-ginger tom

Sageleaf-small, pale gray tabby tom

Mintfur-short legged, light gray tabby she-cat

Apprentice-Firepaw

Nettlesplash-pale brown tom

Rabbitleap-brown tom with dark amber eyes

Creekfeather-gray tabby tom

Plumwillow-dark gray she-cat with soft blue eyes

 **Apprentices-** Sandypaw-light brown tom with darker tail-tip, legs, and ears

Birdpaw-black she-cat with a gray muzzle

Honeypaw-cream colored she-cat with dark green eyes

Firepaw-fluffy ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Stormpaw-gray and ginger she-cat

 **Queens-** Clovertail-light brown she-cat with a white underbelly and legs

Cherrytail-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Sharpclaw's kits, Hazekit (pale tortoiseshell she-cat) and Stonekit (mottled ginger tom)

Tinycloud-small white she-cat with deep blue eyes, expecting Sageleaf's kits


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

 _The dark gray she-cat trembled, her whiskers quivering in obvious unease._ "Why am I still alive?" she croaked. "I agonized over my death for moons… how could you just be wrong?"

A single cat sat before her, shaking her head slightly. "I don't know, Cinderpelt. StarClan has never made a mistake like this before." Bitterness singed her tone. "This has thrown off the natural order! Years ago we foresaw three that held the power of the stars in their paws, but now the three will never be born!"

Confusion rippled through Cinderpelt's gaze. "Are you... are you saying Leafpool would have bared kits? But Bluestar, that would break _two_ of the codes."

Bluestar's head whipped around violently, her stare leveling on Cinderpelt. "Do you think I don't realize that?" she snarled. Immediately, she was up on her paws, pacing across the starlit clearing. Long moments passed. The only noise splitting the air was Bluestar's faint paw steps, but even those fell still. "I'm sorry for snapping," the leader murmured.

But only compassion lit Cinderpelt's blue eyes. "There's no need for apologies. I won't forsake my second chance at life, but you must give me a message. I need guidance to take back to my clan. How much destruction will this wreak on the forest?"

When Bluestar could say no more, the panicked mew of another, more familiar cat echoed through the clearing. With a burst of affection, Cinderpelt saw Yellowfang barreling in beside Bluestar, but the warm feelings were soon replaced by a twinge of fear.

"What have you seen?" Cinderpelt could barely catch Bluestar's words on the air.

Yellowfang's ears flattened back against her head, and a drooping look of sadness came over her scarred muzzle. "It's hard to say just now," she began, casting Cinderpelt a cautious look, as though she was unsure if the ThunderClan medicine cat should be privy to this information. "But all we could see was darkness and sickness, reaching to all corners of the lake."

"Well surely all sicknesses can be cured," Bluestar responded, a false note of confidence present in her voice. "Do you know which will work?"

"None that grow around the lake," Yellowfang admitted. She turned to face Cinderpelt once more. "Warn your leader of the encroaching danger. Your clan will need time to prepare. In one moon's time, we will return to you. StarClan has much to discuss, but the clans will live on. There _will_ be saviors, but we need time to decide which cats must carry that burden."

Cinderpelt dipped her head humbly. The odd sucking sensation in her stomach told her the dream was fading away, but she carried with her a deep sense of both dread and determination. The news she had to share with Firestar would be life changing, but with the arrival of the saviors, she knew ThunderClan could overcome any curse.

* * *

 **AN: So it certainly has been a long time! I've been debating starting a new warriors story for a very long time, but it's finally gotten the best of me. I have the first couple of chapters written to this so far. It's going to be altering PoV's through all four of the clans in the beginning, so drop me a review and let me know what you all think so far!**


	3. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Sunset burned on the horizon in fiery shades of red and orange. Minnowpaw pulled herself out of the lake, water droplets streaking down her glistening coat. Today marked the end of her two-moon assessment, and pride burst forth from her center as she glanced down at the hefty catch she had made.

She carried her three fish back to camp by their tails, but she felt oddly exposed in the open air. Her mentor, Voletooth, had remarked on this before: in two moons of training, she had already become one of the clan's most talented lake hunters.

Most RiverClan cats liked to stick to the sandy banks of the river, keeping their shadows from falling over the water with deadly concentration. With a flash of swiftness and a keen eye, any cat could scoop a fish from the river. And Minnowpaw wouldn't scorn that kind of hunting.

But there was just something so… special about the lake. She loved the way the sun glinted on the surface and how the rippling waves undulated from the strong winds. And when she plunged beneath the water, she loved the way everything grew perfectly still. Ferns and algae twisted ever so slightly at the bottom, while silver tinged fish rushed all around her.

Shaking the thoughts away, Minnowpaw bounded through the tall reeds that marked the boundary of camp. She could hear the anxious chirping of nervous voices, so she quickly deposited her catch on the pile to see what all of the commotion was about. She caught sight of the brown tabby pelt of her mentor, so she slipped over to him, anxiously prodding at his side.

"What's going on?" Minnowpaw whispered nervously. Her eyes narrowed further when she noticed a group of her clanmates had gathered in a loose semicircle around their leader's den.

Voletooth blinked in surprise, as if he wasn't expecting to see his apprentice. "We don't know yet," he admitted. "Leopardstar came back from a hunting patrol around sunhigh, saying she didn't feel very well, but now she's in critical condition."

Minnowpaw flattened her ears back against her head. Her mind raced back to the nursery stories she'd been told, trying to count the number of moons Leopardstar had been leading RiverClan. "Well… losing a life cures sickness sometimes, doesn't it?"

"It does," Voletooth answered hesitantly. His body language was stiff, and Minnowpaw could almost feel the internal debate raging just beneath his pelt. The next time he spoke, the apprentice had to strain to hear him, his voice was so quiet. "But Leopardstar only has one life left."

Minnowpaw drew in a shaky breath at Voletooth's words, and she grimaced, tasting the sickness on the air. But she didn't get to talk. Instead, Voletooth gave her a soft nudge on the shoulder with his head. "Don't get yourself all worked up over this, okay? We haven't been at the lake for very long, so there are still some sicknesses we haven't come across. Leopardstar might not be in her prime, but she's a fighter. She'll pull through."

"All right, I believe you," Minnowpaw mewed, though worry still prickled her pelt.

Voletooth glanced over at the fresh kill pile, "And you also passed your assessment. Next time I'll have you stick more to the land, but your lake hunting really is incredible. Go have your pick from the fresh kill pile and then go get some sleep. We're on the dawn patrol tomorrow, so you'll need your rest."

Minnowpaw dipped her head to her mentor. "Thanks Voletooth!" she called to her mentor before scampering over to the fresh kill pile. Absently, she picked up a fish. She had spotted the mottled gray pelt of her brother, and she was eager to see how he fared on his assessment. She flopped down next to him in the patch of reeds where the apprentices usually ate.

"So how did things go?" she asked excitedly.

But Pebblepaw's body language was all wrong. His shoulders sagged, and she could see the defeat in his eyes. "Mosspelt said I might as well go join ThunderClan for all I'm worth," he muttered.

His tortoiseshell mentor was known for her fierce tongue and even stronger attitude. She had long since ascended into the ranks of the senior warriors, and she'd trained countless apprentices for the clan. It was a true honor for Pebblepaw when she was appointed as his mentor, but that meant his training was even harder than it should be.

"She didn't actually say that… did she?" Minnowpaw asked, wincing.

Pebblepaw nodded dejectedly. "And I didn't even do a bad job on my assessment!" he raged in a sudden rush of bitterness. I caught two whole water voles. So what if I only caught one fish? The elders tell plenty of stories about the days when twolegs poisoned the water. RiverClan needs to be able to hunt on both land and water! And I can hunt on land."

Minnowpaw pressed her nose gently into her brother's shoulder. At the action, she could feel his pounding heartbeat start to slow, and his whole body finally relaxed. "I know I shouldn't be so upset," he murmured. "In the long run, I'm going to be a much better warrior for her training, but it's still so hard to have her criticize you for making three whole catches."

A warm purr came from Minnowpaw. "Don't her get you down, okay? You and I _both_ know how awesome you are, and a grumpy old she-cat can't take that away. You're going to do amazing things for the clan one day. I just know it." She broke off into a massive yawn, her eyes starting to droop with sleepiness.

Pebblepaw nudged his sister to her paws. They'd long since finished their meal. "Come on then, you great lump," he said, a grin in his voice. "Let's get some sleep before you freeze to death out here."

Curled up in their nests, the nagging worry kept Minnowpaw awake for longer than usual. She had forgotten to bring up the sickness to her brother, but she could almost hear his nagging response in his head. " _Mom was convinced you were going to die all twenty times you caught kitten cough in the nursery, but you turned out okay._ "

Letting the thought soothe her, Minnowpaw drifted off into an uneasy sleep, the comforting waves of blackness dragging her further into oblivion.

* * *

Pebblepaw awoke the next morning to a rough paw jabbing at his side. The sharp blue gaze of his mentor flashed above him. He expected the telltale signs of anger and an insult about him not waking up in time, but those traits were curiously absent. Instead, he saw the note of fear in her gaze, and immediately, he was on his paws.

"What's going on?" his mew was nearly breathless. Sleep still tugged at all of his limbs, but a mournful wail from the clearing shocked him into full wakefulness. His mentor still hadn't said a word, so the tom shoved past her. That dreadful part of him expected to see Leopardstar's body, but he was shocked by the silver-gray cat in the clearing.

Mistyfoot's head was craned back at an awful angle. Her limps were splayed out before her, all twisted in agony, as Mothwing frantically tried to make the scene less horrific. When Mosspelt returned to Pebblepaw's side, he asked, "Is she…"

His mentor gave a grim nod, "She passed just a few moments ago." Mosspelt's tone was devoid of the normal scorn. Obviously, she carried great grief within herself. "I need some fresh air. Will you walk with me?"

Pebblepaw nodded, trailing after the tortoiseshell she-cat until they reached the WindClan border. The marshlands had thinned out into more solid ground here, and with a wail of grief, Mosspelt flopped down onto her side. "We weren't that close in age," she mewed finally. "But she was still one of my closest friends."

"Is Leopardstar doing any better?" Pebblepaw asked hopefully.

But Mosspelt simply shook her head. "None of us know where this sickness even came from. Mistyfoot was fine when she went to sleep last night! But she left her nest at moonhigh and just started convulsing. Mothwing hasn't seen anything like it before. She said Leopardstar's tremors keep getting worse."

A horrible thought struck Pebblepaw right in the chest. "Do you think she'll have enough time to appoint a new deputy?"

Mosspelt's blue eyes stretched wide, as if this was a thought she hadn't yet considered. Her fur fluffed up, and without another word, she tore off in the direction of camp, leaving Pebblepaw to stand there by himself. He cast his gaze to the sweeping moorlands. During the day, he liked to see if he could pick out the tawny-colored pelts of the WindClan warriors.

There was a part of him that had this odd urge to join them up on the moors. Something just seemed so… freeing about running unbidden through the air. Though, as he glanced down at his stalky frame, Pebblepaw knew he'd just look silly trying to run like them.

But, as Pebblepaw's gaze scanned the hills, he noticed two specks of color growing steadily larger as they neared the border. Trying to look as dignified as possible, Pebblepaw sat directly before the scent line, waiting for the cats to deliver their message. At first he expected hostility, but confusion set in as he realized one of the cats was Kestrelpaw, the medicine cat apprentice. He was joined by a single warrior, Whitetail.

"How can I help you two?" Pebblepaw asked warily.

Kestrelpaw and Whitetail exchanged a nervous glance, but finally the medicine cat apprentice burst out, "Can we speak to Mothwing? There's a terrible sickness in WindClan right now, and I need to know if she's heard of it before!"

"Barkface doesn't know what to do?" Pebblepaw asked in surprise.

Tears welled up in Kestrelpaw's eyes. "Barkface was the first to pass," he barely managed to choke out. "We tried going to ThunderClan already, but they wouldn't even let us cross the border. I think… I think the sickness is in their clan, too. The warriors we saw had ribs poking through their pelts. They were terrified."

Pebblepaw's eyes stretched wide with fear, but he dipped his head in understanding. He flicked his tail to the two WindClan cats to follow. "The sickness just started in our clan last night," he admitted. Though normally, the strict clan boundaries told Pebblepaw he shouldn't be sharing this sort of information, but a pit of dread had begun to form deep within his belly.

At camp, he watched Kestrelpaw bound off to find Mothwing. Pebblepaw almost didn't notice when his sister's gray and white pelt pushed into his own, but it was her words that shocked him into grief.

"Pebblepaw… Dawnflower has the sickness."

* * *

 **A/N: So I know it's a little bit short, but I'm trying to set up the personalities of all of the main characters! Next chapter will be from ShadowClan's perspective, but who did you like better? Minnowpaw or Pebblepaw?  
**


	4. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Pale moonlight filtered down into the nettle strewn clearing ShadowClan cats used for training. Olivekit drew in a steadying breath, willing her rapid heartbeat to slow. The air was laced with the sour stench of rogues, intermingling with the positions of ShadowClan warriors.

The two groups formed an ominous circle around her, and just a few foxlengths ahead sat a similar cat, with a tortoiseshell coat that mirrored her own. Letting all of her fears melt away, Olivekit let The Bitterness rise within her. This was the moment she had spent the past six moons of her life preparing for, and she wouldn't allow the opportunity get away from her.

The she-kit before her was named Maple, and she was technically Olivekit's sister by blood, but Olivekit didn't consider her as such. When ShadowClan moved into the lake territory, they hadn't known about a group of bloodthirsty rogues living within the intricate tunnel system deep within the territory.

At first, Blackstar had considered consulting the other three clans to drive the rogues off, but after an initial conversation with the rogue's leader, a cunning she-cat by the name Petal, Blackstar had felt an almost dizzying pull to join with this group. They didn't go by any sort of name—up until ShadowClan had moved in, they'd never _needed_ a name.

Many of their ranks simply considered themselves ShadowClan cats, with how closely the two groups intermingled. Petal and Blackstar had spent many nights together, sharing quiet whispers in his hollow tree den. They imposed a fool proof plan that would guarantee the strength and everlasting success of their two groups.

ShadowClan maintained their forest camp, and the rogues maintained their tunnel camp, but often the two groups met over hunting patrols. Apprentices and young warriors could spend nights in the opposing camps—they were encouraged to find friendship amongst each other's ranks.

But it was this ceremony that Olivekit had dreaded the most. Blackstar and Petal decided that so often, apprentices and warriors grew lax because they had no true driving force to reach greatness other than the silly notion of "being the best warrior I can be!" To counteract this, Blackstar and Petal greatly controlled mated pairs. Never would they insist two cats become mates to produce kits, but when a new couple formed, it was forbidden for them to have kits until a ready couple was present amongst the rogue group.

Two queens would thus bring litters into the world at almost identical times, and these kits were set to be mortal enemies. Each ShadowClan kit was paired with a rogue kit, and at each approaching ceremony, they would have to battle. A win or loss didn't necessarily mean the kit would achieve an apprentice name, but the battles had to be painful and bloody.

The rogues and ShadowClan didn't desire softness or mercy amongst their ranks. If cats died in battle against their rivals, there was no mourning for the life. That cat wouldn't do enough to benefit the clan, so the loss was trivial at best.

Olivekit flattened her ears back against her head, thinking about the worst detail of this rival pairing process. While it was possible to dictate the timing of a litter, it was impossible to control how many kits arrived. If one queen had two and the other had three, one life had to be sacrificed. The rogues or ShadowClan would agonize over which kit was the weakest, and they would quickly expunge the life.

Sometimes there were exceptions. If one queen had three kits, and the other had five, the queen with five could simply give a kit to the other queen, thus evening the numbers. Though deep emotional attachments weren't generally encouraged in ShadowClan, every warrior wanted to save the life of an innocent kit wherever possible.

And this was why Olivekit's life had been spared. She had been born to one of the rogue's queens, who had been gifted with a litter of six. Olivekit's adoptive mother had only two kits, so Olivekit and Redkit ended up in ShadowClan.

Olivekit shifted her gaze amongst the ranks, stopping when she spotted the blue eyes filled with such adoration. They were focused on Maple. The she-cat's name was Hallie. When she gave up two of her kits, she claimed Olivekit and Redkit would never make it through the season; they were so pitiful and weak.

The Bitterness welled up even stronger within Olivekit.

Days before, when the eve of this battle had been announced, Olivekit made Redkit promise her that they would act together on this day. Olivekit had a plan of action, and she knew her courage would immediately land her a position of respect within the clan.

An owl hooted overhead—the first owl call of the night—and every cat tensed with anticipation. That signified the start of the first battle. ShadowClan had decided Olivekit would be in the first battle because she was the smallest (and "feeblest").

Maple slowly got to her paws, taking a few sauntering steps towards Olivekit. Obviously she felt no fear for this battle. To Maple, Olivekit would be dead in a few moments, and Maple could ascend to warriorhood unchallenged.

Letting the whimpering façade fall into place, Olivekit shrank back a few paces, her fur beginning to fluff up in a visage of fear. A sick smile played over Maple's face, and finally she made her move, tackling and pinning small Olivekit to the ground.

Maple certainly had the advantage when it came to size, but Olivekit used Maple's cockiness to outwit her. She didn't struggle in Maple's grip—instead she let herself grow limp. Triumph flashed in Maple's gaze as she reared back to deliver the killing blow, but that was when Olivekit came to life.

She wrenched free from Maple's grasp, landing a stinging blow on the tortoiseshell's cheek. The clearing exploded into caterwauls of shock, cats yowling at Maple in disappointment. As Maple struggled to regain her bearings, Olivekit landed another harsh blow on the she-cat's shoulder. Maple whipped around to face Olivekit, but the ShadowClan cat was prepared for her.

She ducked rolled underneath Maple's belly. Olivekit kicked up violently when she had rolled into position, all of the air leaving Maple's lungs in a choked whimper. Maple collapsed onto the ground. She struggled to right herself, but Olivekit was on her in an instant. Olivekit's front paws shoved Maple's shoulders into the ground painfully, and then she lunged forward, sinking her kit-sharp teeth into Maple's throat.

Her tortoiseshell sister struggled for a few moments before she fell entirely limp in Olivekit's grasp. Olivekit drew away and cleaned the blood from her muzzle. She dipped her head to the crowd that had been shocked into silence and padded over towards her adoptive mother, Snowbird.

The white she-cat looked down at her with pride. She gave Olivekit an affectionate lick on the head, murmuring words of praise. "They will never doubt you again," she promised.

And Olivekit knew her mother was right. Hallie's mournful wails poured into the air, while the rest of the rogues seemed shocked by the small kit's performance. Olivekit did her best to look proud and unaffected, but on the inside, Olivekit felt chilled to the bone. Ever since the day she learned of her true heritage, she wanted to change the way the clan was run.

One day, she swore, she'd lead ShadowClan. And together, the four clans would drive away the rogue's threat forever. Through elder's stories, Olivekit had learned about the treachery of Brokenstar. If ShadowClan hated him so much, how could they kill uneven kits and force these brutal fighting rituals on the clan?

Olivekit whispered a few words of apology to Maple's now-still body. This had been the first step she'd _needed_ to take to ensure ShadowClan could be freed from these bloodthirsty tyrants. She watched her brother pad forward to face his rival, and her breath caught in her throat. She knew Redkit would be okay, but that didn't calm the nervous energy that raged through her veins.

* * *

"Oh look! The scaredy cat is coming to fight! Maple's blood a little too much for you to handle, huh, scaredy cat? How about you run on home to your mommy, and I can kill you during your warrior ceremony. No one wants to see a kit cry!" Came the jeering taunts of Skunk.

In any other case, Redkit would've written Skunk off as a bully, but the black and white tom was spot on in everything he said. As Redkit padded forward, he could feel every one of his lips trembling. If he responded to Skunk's jabs, Redkit knew his voice would waver, and no one in the clearing wanted to see a terrified kit.

Olivekit's display had chilled him to the bone. He loved his sister dearly. She was the only cat in the clan who truly understood him. To ShadowClan, he was the sickly kit who would most certainly die during his first rival battle. Redkit _hated_ the feeling of his claws tearing through skin and fur.

If he could have his way, Redkit would spend the rest of his days in the comforting shadows of the medicine cat's den. From all the long leafbare nights Redkit had spent with Littlecloud, Redkit valued Littlecloud's wisdom enormously.

He could feel that his true purpose was to heal rather than to inflict pain, but with a bitter thought, Redkit knew he would never accomplish his dream. Snowbird was the only mother he had ever known, but Littlecloud simply could not accept an apprentice who wasn't clan born. He spoke in low tones of a RiverClan medicine cat who would certainly bring doom upon her clan because she lacked faith in StarClan, so Littlecloud had instead offered the position to Flamekit.

Redkit wanted to tilt his head back and wail for the unfairness of it all. He had _absolute_ faith in his warrior ancestors. It shouldn't matter that he drew his first breaths in a dank tunnel—he was a ShadowClan cat through and through. Even more, ever since he was a tiny kit, he'd been having strange dreams about cats with stars in their pelts. A small part of him wanted to draw attention to the fact that Flamekit wasn't even pure ShadowClan, but it was Olivekit's plan that had coaxed him into a better place.

From the way his sister talked, he could feel her passion about changing the clan. Unfortunately for Redkit, ShadowClan and the rogues worked very much on the premise of respect and power. If he and Olivekit couldn't prove themselves as worthy, no one would give them a second glance. Cats who weren't his adoptive parents or siblings rarely gave him that now.

So with a trembling breath, Redkit prepared himself to face Skunk. The tom was so focused on churning out insults that he didn't notice the bunching of Redkit's muscles or the unsheathed claws until they had struck him across the face.

Skunk made a spitting noise of anger and threw himself at Redkit fiercely. But anger was clouding Skunk's vision. The black and white tom lumbered about the clearing, trying to pin little Redkit down with his superior weight. From night sessions out in the woods, Olivekit had taught Redkit about all of the key blood sources in a cat's body.

Redkit was too much lighter than Skunk to ever pin him to the ground, so Olivekit's strategy would never work. Instead, Redkit kept himself light on his toes. Every time Skunk made a crushing attack, Redkit would swiftly dodge to the side and claw at one of Skunk's blood sources in the blink of an eye.

Skunk was nearly spitting he was so mad, but that did nothing to lessen Redkit's resolve. As the black and white tom lumbered towards him once more, Redkit smirked. Maybe it would've been more fitting for Hallie to name him Badger, for all the grace he moved with.

With a yowl of fury, Skunk put in one more legendary attack. Redkit hesitated for just a moment, wanting Skunk to think he would finally seize victory, but the brown and ginger tom sprang away just moments before impact. Skunk hit the ground, hard, and Redkit knew this was the end. Blood was pooling on the ground around them, making the nettle floor sticky and hard to walk across.

Skunk didn't have the energy to get back to his paws, and he spent his last few moments screeching at Redkit before he finally fell still, his amber eyes hazy from death. Redkit did his best to not let his terror show. The next round was picking up immediately—Scorchkit against Snake—so Redkit had the chance to get away. He weaved through the crowd. No cat was going to pay attention to such a little kit.

As soon as he had broken away from the main line, he vomited behind a tree. The rush of nerves and guilt had hit him like a monster. It wasn't until a tail rested comfortingly on his side that he was able to shake away the feeling. Redkit looked up to see his sister smiling gently at him. "Thank you," her words were soft, but he could feel the sincerity in her tone. "I can't imagine how hard that was for you, but thank you for helping me. I promise you won't regret it."

And Redkit believed every one of her words. One day, she'd gain the respect of her clanmates and make ShadowClan great once more. And when that day came, he'd lead beside her as her faithful medicine cat. The thought made his vision hazy.

Olivekit nudged him lightly on the side. "Come on," she whispered. "Shrewkit's fight is almost over. Blackstar's going to give us our apprentice names now!" Her own tortoiseshell coat was gleaming under the moonlight, and she stopped for a few moments to clean the blood and debris out of Redkit's pelt until he looked the same.

They quickly sat down next to the four kits already in the clearing, their hasty entrance seemingly unnoticed. Shrewkit and Scorchkit's pelts were missing clumps of fur, and Redkit could see blood oozing from their wounds, but their eyes shone proudly. They hadn't killed either of their rivals, Blackstar and Petal instead decreeing the battles a tie, but they had still won their names.

Shrewkit pressed her nose into Redkit's cheek gently. Aside from Olivekit, she was the sibling who cared for him the most. Though the words had never been spoken, she had always sensed his gentleness.

"Cats of the Shadows!" Blackstar's yowl boomed through the clearing. "These six kits have fought valiantly, and I don't think anyone here can say that they don't deserve their names! Shrewkit, Scorchkit, Olivekit, Redkit, come forward!"

The siblings took a few steps in unison, while four ShadowClan warriors emerged from the darkness beyond, obviously told of their impending mentorship in advance. "From this day, until you receive your warrior names, you four shall be known as Shrewpaw, Scorchpaw, Olivepaw, and Redpaw."

Shrewpaw was given Ratscar as a mentor, while Scorchpaw was assigned to Scorchpaw. Redpaw smiled at the glitter of happiness in Olivepaw's eyes as she touched noses with her new mentor: Crowfrost.

And finally, Blackstar leveled his gaze on Redpaw. "Redpaw, I think you shocked us all today with your display of bravery and strength today. For this reason, I entrust you to Whitewater. She beat all the odds by making it to warriorhood, and I know she'll instill the same abilities within you."

Redpaw couldn't help the excitement in his step as he touched noses with the white she-cat. The path to being a warrior was not one he wanted to follow, but for the first time in moons, he felt a sense of hope.

* * *

 **A/N: All right, so this chapter is a little bit longer! When I finish this story, I definitely want to experiment with this idea and ShadowClan some more, but I wanted to set these two up as some very bitter protagonists. This was a really fun chapter to write, but please leave me a review! They make me want to write more haha**

 **Also, Something to Say-which older story of mine do you mean?**


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